Itsumademo
by cherry fantasy
Summary: #ON HOLD, see profile# Barely a few days after his birth, little Prince Inuyasha disappears without a trace... Two hundred years later, the royal family stumbles across a young hanyou... And he seems awfully familiar... /YAOI, incest, OOCness/ SesshxInu
1. Prologue

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**"Itsumademo" is the equivalent of "Everlasting" in japanese.**

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****A/N : Hi people, I hope you're all doing fine ! I know that I'm totally exaggerating right now because I'm already working on 5 other fics and then I'm adding this one to the lot ! Sometimes I'm so hopeless...**

**Raiu : **You said it. Now try to remember it.

**Shut up Raiu, I'm speaking over here !**

**Raiu : **So ? It's just one more reason for me to cover your stupid babbles.

**I hate you...**

**Raiu : **Why thanks, I hate you too.

**Grrr...**

**Akari : **Cherry-chan, the readers...

**Oh yes... Well, here are the WARNINGS :**

**_This fic is YAOI, meaning maleXmale relationship. Also there will be INCEST and maybe male pregnancy in later chapters... we'll see... Anyway, I've warned you, so no flames ! If you don't like, just turn away and leave. No one is forcing you to read this. Flames will be royally ignored._**

**_Also, this is a bit of a AU fic, so keep it in mind. Due to that, there will be OOCness from the characters. My deepest apologies to those who don't like it... But no flames !_**

**Raiu :** Are you done yet ?

**Not that it's any of your business, but yes I am.**

**Raiu : **Finally...

**Yeah well no one asked you !**

**Akari : **Don't tell me you two are at it again...

**Don't worry Akari-chan, everything's alright. Now Sesshomaru, do the _disclaimer_ !**

**Sesshomaru : **I will do no such thing. Do it yourself.

**Raiu : **Way to go Sessh !

**Sesshomaru : **Don't call me "Sessh" if you want to live another day.

**Raiu : **...

**You will do the disclaimer Sesshomaru or... or I'm making you wear a pink kimono !**

**Sesshomaru : **...you wouldn't.

**With lovely little tresses and ribbons in your hair...**

**Sesshomaru : **This pathetic human doesn't own Inuyasha or any of its official characters.

**Thanks ! ...hey, that wasn't very nice !**

**Sesshomaru : **(ignores her)

**Why you...!**

**Akari : **Let's just get on with the story Cherry-chan !

**Yeah you're right... So, the main pairing will be Sessh/Inu. Read and enjoy !**

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**.: Itsumademo :.**

by cherry fantasy

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**Prologue**

_Cold, cold winter_

_Golden sun shining in a blue sky_

_Golden rays caressing the snowy lands_

_Creating a whiter shade..._

- anonymous

It was a bright sunny day, although cold since they were in the middle of December. The day star was already high in the sky, illuminating the white veil of snow covering the lands. Outside, everything was calm and the winter birds were chirping happily, chanting a melody that only themselves knew. But on this eighteenth day of the month, such peacefulness wasn't reigning everywhere...

"How much longer is this gonna take !" roared Inu no Taisho, Lord of the Western Lands, while pacing back and forth in his study.

"Calm yourself father, shouting and pacing will not make it go any faster" came a soft and steady voice from the left side of the room.

The dog demon Lord halted his steps for a moment and turned to look at his son, Sesshomaru. This one was sitting quietly in a couch with a book in hands, his amber eyes still fixed on the pages even as he spoke to his father.

Sesshomaru was his son from his first mating. Inu no Taisho didn't have any other children as of yet, although that was about to change very soon... It was very unusual for a Demon Lord, who normally had a few little bastards running around in the wild. But Inu no Taisho wasn't of flighty nature, and he had absolutely no desire to bring any random demonesses in his bed. He believed in sincere love to build a relationship, and although he didn't give his heart easily, once given he was completely loyal to his mate. As a result, and even though he was nearly one thousand years old (despite looking like barely thirty), to this day he'd only had two mates, while other Demon Lords were at their sixth or seventh already, with several mistresses to add in the picture. It was one of the many things that made Inu no Taisho so unlike the other Lords, and one of the many reasons why his people were so proud to serve under his command.

Sesshomaru's mother, Tsukiyo, had been a beauty beyond compare, a dog demoness coming from an aristocratic family with whom Inu no Taisho had fallen in love almost at first sight. Although to him, she could've been the lowest servant that it wouldn't have made a difference ; she'd been all grace and delicacy, traits that Sesshomaru had actually picked up from her, and had a kind heart despite the strict way in which she had been raised. Inu no Taisho had passed some delightful years with her, rendered even better when she'd given him his first child and heir. Sadly, she'd died of a rare demon illness when Sesshomaru was still a young pup.

Her death had affected Sesshomaru greatly, which was no surprise since he'd grown very close to his mother in the short time he'd had with her. But he hadn't cried, like you would expect from such a young child. No, instead, he'd withdrawn in himself, growing more serious and losing that childish innocence that had once shown in his eyes... For a strange reason his father had felt guilty, like if all that had been his fault, but Sesshomaru had made sure to let him know that he didn't accuse him of anything. Although even then, his new demeanour hadn't changed...

Inu no Taisho rubbed his temples and took another glance at his son. Most of his looks, Sesshomaru had gotten from his father : same tall and lean figure, same long flowing white hair (Sesshomaru wore them down while his father preferred to tie them in a high ponytail), same long fluffy tail, same bright golden eyes... They even wore a similar outfit, consisting mainly of a white silk kimono and an armor covering their upper torso (although neither of them were wearing their armor at the moment), with a long sash hanging at their waist. The only noticeable differences were Inu no Taisho's slightly more muscular stature and their respective demon markings, dark blue for the father and wine red for the son. Both of them were surely some of the most beautiful demon specimens you could find in feudal Japan.

Still greatly agitated, Inu no Taisho approached his son and asked him :

"How do you expect me to calm myself in such a situation, Sesshomaru ? It's been hours already !"

"Which is perfectly normal" Sesshomaru replied calmly, finally raising his gaze from his book to meet his father's. "Try to sit down and to have patience"

"You'll quickly forget how to have patience when _you_ will find yourself in the same predicament !" the Demon Lord retorted.

Sesshomaru merely smirked and went back to his book. Inu no Taisho rolled his eyes and resumed his pacing. He was used to Sesshomaru's polite and almost emotionless answers, although with him the young dog demon always seemed to open up a bit more. With people in general Sesshomaru was as cold as ice, and there were presently only two persons with whom he allowed himself to show some bit of emotions : his father and, strangely... his stepmother.

Inu no Taisho's second mate, Izayoi, was human. It had been a shock to everyone when he'd claimed her and brought her to the palace to live with him, just as officially as with Tsukiyo. It wasn't that they didn't like humans, in fact in the Western Lands humans and demons lived together very well, it was just that a human mate for the most powerful Demon Lord of Japan was a bit hard to digest at first sight. But then everybody had seen how much Inu no Taisho loved Izayoi, and so they had accepted her. It hadn't been hard, really ; first of all, she also came from a royal family, making her a princess in human society. Secondly, she was just as beautiful and gracious as Lady Tsukiyo had been. And most importantly, she had the kindest soul you could ever imagine : she always had a gentle smile for everyone and was ready to help her people whenever it was in her power. Quickly everybody had grown very fond of her. Thankfully, there was no risk for Lady Izayoi to die before their Lord because of her human state, seeing as when a human mated to a powerful demon, they were immediately granted prolonged youth and life expectancy. From there, they didn't have to worry about old age taking them from their mate.

Inu no Taisho had feared Sesshomaru's reaction, thinking that his son would resent Izayoi for taking his mother's place and that he would give her a hard time. But luckily, nothing of the sort had happened. Of course at the beginning Sesshomaru had been somewhat cold toward her, but never had he been condescending or cruel. And eventually, even he had slightly warmed up to her. He wasn't going as far as to call her "mother", but he had accepted her in their family and it was obvious (if only for Inu no Taisho) that he cared for her a bit more than he himself had anticipated. The Lord of the West was very pleased by this development and also proud of his son for having such a reaction. He would make sure not to underestimate Sesshomaru again in the future.

He stopped pacing a second time and tilted his head up for a moment, sniffing the air with his sensitive nose. When he caught the one particular scent he was searching, he growled slightly, then let out a miserable whimper before finally collapsing on the nearest chair.

Sesshomaru looked up from his book, feeling sorry for his father. The Grand Demon Lord of the West looked so helpless and lost right now, something that wasn't at all a usual thing to see. But knowing the situation, Sesshomaru really couldn't blame him.

He put his book aside and rose, walking to his father and slowly kneeling before him. If there would ever be one single person on Earth before who he would kneel, it was his dad. He put a soothing hand on his father's thigh and said :

"Don't worry father, I'm sure everything is going fine"

"But why do I smell so much blood, Sesshomaru ? I'm sure there isn't supposed to be so much blood..." answered Inu no Taisho.

"Don't forget that she is human, it probably is normal for her"

Inu no Taisho raised an eyebrow and asked sceptically :

"And what would you know about it ?"

"I just do" Sesshomaru said, totally unfazed.

At this moment, they heard a soft knock at the study's door.

"Come in" Inu no Taisho quickly said, jumping on his feet.

Sesshomaru raised a bit more gracefully and watched as a young servant girl entered the room. She smiled to them and said softly :

"You may go see her now my Lords"

"Is she alright ?" Inu no Taisho questioned almost fearfully, although his voice stayed firm.

"Lady Izayoi is fine my Lord, just a bit tired"

The Demon Lord let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, his body relaxing after hearing the news. He quickly exited the study, the young servant leading the way and Sesshomaru following close behind.

After a few minutes they entered Inu no Taisho and Izayoi's room. Two other servants were present, both women ; one was human and was presently picking up some articles around the large bed. The other one was a fox demoness and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, softly speaking with the figure lying on it.

When Inu no Taisho entered, the two maids stepped away and bowed respectfully. He nodded to them in acknowledgment, then he made his way to the bed without further hesitation. He slowly sat on the mattress, Sesshomaru standing behind him and the three servants pursuing their work silently. A young woman was lying on the bed, her back resting against some pillows ; her long dark hair was scattered around her thin frame, and her violet eyes were sparkling as she gazed tenderly at the small bundle she was holding... which by the way was squirming and making strange little noises.

"Izayoi ?" Inu no Taisho said softly.

She raised her gaze to him and gave him a loving smile, then she whispered happily :

"It's a boy, koibito. A beautiful and perfect little boy..."

She moved her small bundle closer to him, carefully tossing aside a part of the cloth wrapped around it.

Still standing behind his father, Sesshomaru stared in wonder as a little head was revealed, covered with locks as white as his and his father's. But what really caught his gaze were the two tiny and fluffy doggy ears, as white as the hair and presently lying flat on the baby's head. It was the first time Sesshomaru was seeing such curious and... dare he say it ?... adorable appendages, and he found himself wanting to touch them to see if they were as soft as they looked...

The small pup, as if feeling that he was being watched, made a soft noise with his mouth and slowly opened his eyes, revealing two golden orbs once again similar to Inu no Taisho and Sesshomaru's very own. The baby stared at them in awe for a couple of minutes, his large golden eyes attentive and curious. Sesshomaru didn't know why, but he suddenly wanted to smile. He hadn't smiled since his mother's death, not really... He couldn't bring himself to... But right now, there was nothing more he wanted to do. He resisted though, and instead he turned to glance at his father... who was grinning from ear to ear like an idiot with his own gaze fixed on the baby before him.

"He is perfect..." the Demon Lord said with a slightly hoarse voice.

The little pup's eyes, if possible, grew even larger when he heard his father's deep voice, and he focused his attention on him for a moment. Inu no Taisho cooed softly and Sesshomaru almost snorted in amusement, but it quickly left his mind when the baby started giggling happily at their father's antics... Sesshomaru had never heard such a... cute sound, for lack of better definitions. It was so purely happy, so innocent...

Two little hands came from under the cloth as the pup joyfully reached out to his father, one tiny fang visible as it bit down his bottom lip. Inu no Taisho took his second son in his arms very gently, and a small hand instantly grabbed one of his fingers, holding onto it tightly. The Lord of the West laughed and made sure that his pup wouldn't hurt himself on his claws, then he turned to his mate and asked her :

"Did you give him a name already ?"

"No, you choose" Izayoi answered with a smile.

Inu no Taisho lowered his eyes on the baby in his arms ; the pup was taking curious little sniffs at him, apparently finding something familiar in his scent. He was cooing happily, still holding his father's finger. Inu no Taisho smiled tenderly... He thought for a moment, then he said :

"Inuyasha. His name will be Inuyasha"

"Inuyasha... yes, I love it" Izayoi agreed softly.

They stayed silent for a while... that is, if you forgot about Inuyasha's happy gurglings. Then, Inu no Taisho seemed to remember the presence of his older son in the room. He turned toward him with a smile, baby Inuyasha still chirping in his arms, and held out the pup to him while saying :

"Here Sesshomaru, why don't you take a closer look at your little brother ?"

Sesshomaru blinked, unsure of what to do. He glanced at Izayoi who nodded to him with a smile, then back at his father who was now raising a brow at him as if to ask : _what are you waiting for ?_

Finally, and a bit awkwardly, Sesshomaru took the baby from his father and cradled the tiny form against his chest, making sure to hold the small head correctly. Inuyasha giggled and grabbed a handful of his brother's long hair. Surprisingly though, he didn't pull on it. He just hold it in his hand and turned his cute little smiling face to Sesshomaru ; the two brothers locked gazes and suddenly, both became very silent.

When Inuyasha looked at him, Sesshomaru felt something very strange, like a tug at his consciousness. It wasn't at all unpleasant, just... disturbing. He tightened his hold on his little brother, a strong feeling of protectiveness suddenly surging through him, and... something more, maybe, although Sesshomaru couldn't quite decipher what it was... Anyhow, never in his life had he held such a small and fragile thing, and something inside him was urging him to protect it, with his own life if necessary. And Sesshomaru found himself accepting this responsibility immediately and without a single question. To him, it just seemed so... right, to assume that role. To protect his little brother, at any cost.

Inuyasha stared back at him quietly, examining his face as if it was the most interesting thing in the world... Sesshomaru raised a hand to his brother's head, intent on satisfying his earlier curiosity about Inuyasha's ears. He brought his hand close to one of the small appendages and cautiously brushed his fingers over it, being mindful of his claws. He unconsciously smiled when he discovered that the little ear was even softer than what he'd imagined. It twitched slightly under his touch, and Inuyasha cooed happily, apparently liking the attention. Sesshomaru's smile grew a bit more, and he moved his hand to the other ear, his eyes never leaving Inuyasha's. He had to admit that the little pup was indeed beautiful, and that he would surely turn into a handsome man...

Sesshomaru himself hadn't noticed, but while he was holding Inuyasha his whole body had relaxed, and his face had taken the most serene look his father had ever seen him wear since Tsukiyo's death. But when the smile appeared on his lips, that's when both Inu no Taisho and Izayoi knew that Inuyasha would be Sesshomaru's saving grace. He wasn't even talking yet that he had already made him smile, genuinely smile, for the first time in years... Without as much as an effort, he had wormed his way to Sesshomaru's heart and was already closer than anyone had ever been...

The Lord of the West and his mate looked at each other then smiled ; suddenly, with the birth of one single little hanyou named Inuyasha, their future seemed so much brighter...

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**Translations :**

itsumademo : everlasting

koibito : sweatheart, love

hanyou : half-demon

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**A/N : So, liked it ? Hated it ? (I hope not...) Review&review please !**

**Raiu : **It was horrible.

**You _always _think my fics are horrible !**

**Raiu : **That's because they are, genius.

**I'm gonna kill you...**

**Raiu : **I'd like to see you try...

**Akari : **Stop fighting you two !

**Sesshomaru : **I was terribly OOC.

**So ? It's my fic and I do what I please ! And besides, I'm sure your horde of fan girls will still think you're hot ! (including me...)**

**Sesshomaru : **Somehow that doesn't reassure me.

**Well too bad then ! (smirks) Please review everyone ! See you next chapter !**


	2. One : Higeki

**A/N : Hi ! Missed me ? (ok don't answer that...)**

**Anyway, here's finally another chapter !**

**Raiu : **Yeah, « finally », that's the word...

**Oh you don't start !... So, I'm gonna write this one last time, just to be sure :**

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_**DISCLAIMER : **Never owned Inuyasha and its characters, never will. All the credit goes to Rumiko Takahashi. Too bad... But I do own the plot of this story !_

_**WARNINGS : **This fic will contain YAOI and INCEST, don't say I didn't warn you, and NO flames on the subject ! Get it ? Got it. Also OOCness and possible male pregnancy in later chapters. Don't like, don't read. Easy enough for you ?_

_**PAIRING : **Sessh/Inu as the main focus._

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**Ok, that's done with. Now let's get on with the fic !**

**Raiu : **I'm gonna go get some painkillers...

**Sesshomaru : **Bring me back some.

**Raiu : **Alright. (walks away)

**I'M STILL HERE YOU KNOW, YOU UNGRATEFUL PRICKS !**

**Sesshomaru : **(ignores her, like always...)

**Akari : **(watches as enraged cherry-chan tackles Sesshomaru) Hum... I hope Sesshy doesn't hurt her too much... (smiles to readers) Well everyone, enjoy the chapter !

**Sesshomaru : **(yells over his shoulder while beating cherry-chan) DON'T CALL ME "SESSHY", MORTAL !

**Akari : **(gone to buy chocolate)**

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**.: Itsumademo :.**

by cherry fantasy

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**Chapter one : Higeki **

**( Tragedy )**

Inu no Taisho and his Izayoi didn't know how right they were when they'd thought that Inuyasha's arrival would change things for the better in the palace. It was barely six days since he was born and the whole atmosphere was already totally transformed ; it was as if everyone was in a permanent good mood. Not that anybody was complaining !

Every women, human or demon, were fawning over little Inuyasha each times he crossed their sight, and even when he wasn't there they talked non-stop about how he was the cutest thing they'd ever seen (and of course his puppy ears would often be mentioned in those conversations). It was true that the young pup was quite a beautiful baby, and also well behaved ; he hardly ever cried, he laughed often and slept peacefully at night. In short, so far he'd been a little angel.

The men were not more immune to him than the women. Even the grumpiest guard of the castle, a bear demon named Shuriyo, was unable to repress a smile when baby Inuyasha came in his range of vision. It was very funny to watch him try to hide it afterwards.

It was easy to see that Inuyasha had subdued everyone in the palace already, but it was nothing compared to the effect he had on the royal family : Lady Izayoi was all happiness and smiles, even more than she'd been before. Inu no Taisho had softened too, and a permanent grin was plastered on his face. He was more considerate in his decisions and less harsh in his punishments... Which left one person to mention : Sesshomaru.

The changes in him were the most obvious, and he was warming up to Inuyasha even faster than his parents had predicted... He spent all his free time with the little hanyou, either they were alone or with other people. As soon as his studies and training were done with for the day, you could find him at his baby brother's side, taking care of him for Lady Izayoi and even... playing with him. Sesshomaru's change in behavior didn't go unnoticed by any of the palace's residents ; Inu no Taisho's older son seemed more happy and serene than they'd ever seen him since his mother's death, and everybody knew who to thank for that. It had saddened them a lot to see their prince become so cold and lose all apparent interest in life after Tsukiyo's death... But once again, it seemed that baby Inuyasha had worked his magic on his older sibling as effortlessly as with the rest of the castle's inhabitants. And to everyone's delight, Sesshomaru's iciness was melting like a snow bank under the summer sun.

How the little baby hanyou was doing it, nobody knew. But it was sure a welcomed change...!

Today was a bright sunny day, and the four members of the royal family were presently all settled in the Lord's study, sharing a pleasant moment together ; Inu no Taisho sat at his desk, working, while his mate was seated in a couch, sewing a small gi for her newborn pup and humming softly through her lips. Sesshomaru sat beside her reading a book and Inuyasha had been installed on a soft blanket at his mother's feet, a couple of toys lying all around him. At the moment he was playing with a little blue spinning top ; of course he was way too young to know how to make it spin, but it seemed to amuse him nonetheless. He would just throw the top away, then clumsily (but very cutely) crawl toward it, take it back and repeat the action. He would then giggle happily as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

Inu no Taisho slightly raised his gaze from his papers, smiling softly at his youngest son's antics. He turned to look at Izayoi and she looked back at him, a smile also gracing her features... Inuyasha was a very aware baby, curious and awed by his surroundings. It was obvious already that he would be an adventurous child, and probably quite a handful to deal with. They were better be prepared !

Lying on his back on the blanket and the blue top still in his hands, Inuyasha suddenly yelped happily and threw the top... right at Sesshomaru's head !

Inu no Taisho's eyes widened and Izayoi held her breath, but Sesshomaru merely peeked over his book and easily caught the toy in his hand. The Demon Lord and his mate softly sighed in relief... Even if he was just a baby, Inuyasha was also a hanyou and had his father's powerful demon blood flowing in his veins... The strength of his throws was by no mean insignificant...

"Bah bah !" Inuyasha exclaimed joyfully, whatever it meant...

He waved his little feet in the air and made a face at his brother. Izayoi laughed and Inu no Taisho rolled his eyes, then they turned to Sesshomaru to see his reaction... This one didn't seem to pay attention to them as he calmly put his book aside and went to kneel beside his younger sibling. He handed out the top to Inuyasha but the pup grabbed one of his fingers instead, cooing softly and gazing at Sesshomaru with his large golden eyes... Inuyasha always seemed calmer when Sesshomaru was close, his parents had noticed. It was as if his presence appeased him...

The feeling was mutual though : whenever Sesshomaru would focus his attention on Inuyasha, it was as if the world around him didn't exist anymore. Like if he was entranced... There was definitely an odd connection between the two brothers...

Sesshomaru put the blue top away and brought his free hand to Inuyasha's head, gently caressing the little puppy ears. He smiled very slightly and said with a soft tone :

"No need to be violent, little one. If you wanted my attention, you just had to ask"

Inuyasha giggled, his eyes never leaving his brother, and Izayoi could've sworn he understood everything Sesshomaru was telling him...

Sesshomaru carefully picked up his baby brother and sat back, not bothering to get back on the couch and just leaning against it from his position on the floor. The pup immediately snuggled in his embrace and closed his eyes, a soft yawn escaping his mouth. Sesshomaru cradled him closer and continued petting his little doggy ears... Quickly the baby fell asleep, his small hands fisted in Sesshomaru's haori.

Inu no Taisho and Izayoi watched the endearing picture silently, noting the small smile that was still playing on Sesshomaru's lips... They didn't think it was possible to be more happy than they were now... Everything was perfect...

o0o

Many miles away from the Dog Demon Lord's castle was situated a village, in the eastern part of their kingdom. In that village was a tea house, where two demons from Inu no Taisho's Royal Guard were presently seated at one of the tables, each drinking a cup of sake. They were heading back to the palace after a scouting mission, and had decided to take a short break before pursuing their journey. They knew they had the right to do so since their mission wasn't an urgent one.

"I almost wish we could've found some kind of threat, all this peace is starting to get boring !" the youngest of the two, a fox demon, suddenly said.

"Shut your mouth Meireiku !" the other one exclaimed, also a kitsune. "Or your stupid wishes could very well come true one of those days !"

"Oh come on Kudan, you don't really believe that do you ?" Meireiku answered with a smirk. "You're way too superstitious ! You're talking like an old witch"

"Well I've always been right about my intuitions until now, and at the moment they're telling me that all your yapping will bring us bad luck. So you'd better quit fooling around and listen to my _old witch talk_ for once"

"Alright alright, I'm sorry ! Jeez, don't make such a big deal out of it..."

"Joking about war isn't very wise, Meireiku, nor is wishing for it. Anybody would make it a big deal"

Meireiku lowered his head a little, admitting that Kudan was right. He took a sip of his sake before saying :

"You're right Kudan, I shouldn't have said that. Now that I think of it, I kind of like these peaceful times... No need to worry about an enemy attacking by surprise or about losing our homes. No need to fear for our lives and most importantly, for the lives of our families and friends. Yeah... I could get use to this..."

Kudan smiled and retorted :

"Well you're actually saying something that makes sense for once !" He ignored Meireiku's snort and added : "And anyway, we wouldn't want little prince Inuyasha growing up in a time of war, now would we ?"

Meireiku chuckled and said :

"Oh yeah, that little one ! I've seen him three days ago, babbling in Lady Izayoi's arms. He's such a cute thing, although I can already say he'll be quite a handful to handle when he'll get older ! He's Lord Inu no Taisho's son, after all !"

"Can't argue with you on that !" Kudan replied with a grin, before pursuing : "I've seen him too, but he was with prince Sesshomaru. I still can't believe how much that little pup managed to change him ! It's really great to watch"

"Yeah I know... That baby must have magical powers or something !"

"Somehow I doubt it" Kudan said with a grin while raising his cup of sake to his lips. He then set it down and continued : "But whatever it is he's doing, it's working damn well. And not only on prince Sesshomaru... Honestly, the whole palace seems to be happy, and I've never seen Lord Inu no Taisho so relaxed in all the years I've known him ! I could swear his good mood is contagious !"

"Ah ah ah ! I can see it from here : the joy illness, ravaging the Western castle !" Meireiku exclaimed with a laugh. "Nobody will be spared ! Ah ah ! Wait til the other kingdoms hear about it !"

Kudan laughed too at his friend's joke, before slowly finishing his drink. He then took a calmer tone and said :

"But seriously Mei, I think that little Inuyasha's birth was a blessing... And I mean for all of us..."

Meireiku smiled and answered :

"Yes, I think that too..."

The two guards talked a bit more, then paid for their drinks and left the tea house... Not once did they notice the figure sitting at the table next to theirs, cloaked in a dark cape with a hood over its head. After they left, the figure smirked and said softly :

"A blessing, hum...? Well there is what I was waiting for... Now all I have to do... is turn the blessing into a curse... and the tragedy will work itself out without me having to raise a single finger..."

The hooded figure rose calmly and walked out of the slightly crowded tea house, nobody ever noticing it leave... Or that it had been there at the first place...

o0o

Inu no Taisho couldn't really tell what had woken him ; there had been no suspicious noise, everything was calm. The Lord tilted his head and took a tentative sniff ; nope, no suspicious scent either.

The dog demon frowned confusedly. He was sure yet that_ something _had woken him... He looked down at his mate ; Izayoi was still sleeping soundly, undisturbed. But then again, she couldn't pick up scents like he could... And if there was a noise too weak for her human hearing, she obviously wouldn't hear it... Inu no Taisho's frown deepened. Even if she didn't have his demon abilities, Izayoi was a very perceptive woman. She'd proven that to him more than once. If something had really been wrong, she'd be awake as well...

_' But I'm sure something woke me up...' _thought Inu no Taisho. _' It was like... a feeling... A bad one... Like if my youki was warning me that something was wrong even though I couldn't consciously acknowledge it...'_

He growled softly, even more confused than before... His youki was never wrong. He'd learned to trust it with his life. But right now, and despite his youki's warning, he couldn't pick up anything signaling a threat. The night was silent and his mate was sleeping peacefully in his arms...

Just as he was thinking that, Izayoi suddenly shifted and opened her eyes. He watched as she took a quick look around before bringing her violet gaze back on him...

"What's wrong saiai (1) ?" he asked her as they sat up in their bed.

"I... I'm not sure..." she answered, taking another look at her surroundings. "I just... I have a bad feeling all of a sudden..."

Without really knowing why, Inu no Taisho felt a knot of worry beginning to form in his throat at his mate's words... But it was nothing compared to what he felt when someone suddenly knocked softly at their door, stepping in a moment later...

Sesshomaru stood at the doorstep, wearing only his sleeping yukata (2). He gazed at his father and at Izayoi before saying :

"Forgive me for the intrusion father, but I..."

"You felt something unusual ?" Inu no Taisho interrupted, although he already knew the answer...

"Yes" Sesshomaru simply told him.

"I know, we felt it too"

He swiftly got out of bed, Izayoi quickly imitating him. They smoothed out their yukatas and turned to Sesshomaru, who hadn't moved from his spot. Fidgeting nervously, Izayoi said :

"Maybe we should... check it out ?"

"But we don't even know what the problem is" the Lord answered, glancing at his son to see if he was as clueless as them.

Sesshomaru stayed silent, letting him know that he had no idea either.

And then, they heard it. The muffled but loud sound of something hitting the floor and breaking, quickly followed by a small whimper. After that, nothing. Total silence.

But what made their heart stop and all colors drain from their faces wasn't the noise in itself ; it was _where_ it came from...

"Oh dear Kami !" Izayoi exclaimed in a breath, before dashing for the door separating their room and the one on the other side.

Sesshomaru and his father were right behind her as she reached her destination, practically throwing the shôji door open with enough force to make doorframe tremble... Although they were probably lucky it was her who'd opened it, because if it had been Inu no Taisho or Sesshomaru, there wouldn't even be a door anymore...

They rushed in the room, still as pale as ghosts. Everything was calm and nothing was out of place, except... except the little wooden crib.

The small bed was knocked over to the side and the head was broken, as well as one of the legs. The blankets were laying randomly on the floor, while a little blue top had rolled a few feet away... But what really made them feel sick, was that... the crib was empty. And that there was not a single trace of its occupant anywhere in the room.

"NO !" Izayoi shouted as tears spilled out of her eyes. "INUYASHA !"

She rushed toward the fallen crib, dropping to her knees before it and sobbing painfully.

The Western Lord and Sesshomaru were frozen on the spot, unable to breathe... This couldn't be true... This had to be a nightmare... It just HAD to...

But it wasn't.

"No..." Inu no Taisho merely whispered, while Sesshomaru tried to stop his hands from shaking.

_' Oh Kami, please no...'_

They snapped back to reality when Izayoi suddenly let out a sharp cry, holding something in her hands. Quickly they ran to her ; she turned toward them with an horrified expression on her face. She showed them what she was holding, and it wasn't long before they understood why she was acting so distressed : in her hands were the crib's blankets. Completely stained with blood. And it didn't take them long to identify the scent either...

_' No, for Heaven's sake, no...! '_

Sesshomaru fell to his knees beside his stepmother, his legs refusing to support his weight any longer. He stared at the red stained blankets with wide eyes, as if they were vipers that would suddenly spring up and bite him. He couldn't think straight, his mind was clouded... And all he could smell was Inuyasha's blood...

"My baby..." Izayoi was saying between her sobs, "They... they took my baby... Taisho... They took our Inuyasha...!"

Inu no Taisho slowly kneeled behind her, passing his arms around her waist. He was trying to think clearly despite the tears welling up in his eyes and his heart that was clenching painfully in his chest... He didn't understand... Why wasn't there any unknown scent in the room ? Why hadn't he heard the intruder come in ? Why hadn't he noticed anything unusual sooner ? And how had the intruder escaped... with his son... without leaving a single trace behind, even for his keen senses ? How could've all this happen ?

Suddenly something caught his gaze ; lying in the fallen crib was a lone sheet of paper, obviously left there for them to find. He quickly grabbed it, then brought it before his watery eyes... The sheet had absolutely no scent, and no distinctive sign whatsoever... It was just a white sheet, showing a message written in black... Inu no Taisho could feel his mate's eyes on him, as well as Sesshomaru's, when he slowly read the note...

_**May your blessing become your curse**_

_**And your broken hearts my revenge**_

_**May the royal family suffer and despair**_

_**For the youngest of your kin is now lost to you**_

_**Forever**_

* * *

**Translations**

**Itsumademo : **everlasting

1) **saiai : **beloved

2) **yukata : **Informal unlined summer kimono usually worn outdoors for festivals and such. It can also be worn under a kimono or a gi, and for sleeping.

* * *

**A/N : So, did you like the chapter ? **

**Raiu : **What kind of question is that ? Of course they didn't like it !

**I'm not even going to grace that with an answer. It's getting old.**

**Raiu : **(mumbles darkly about stupid authors)

**Akari : **Well for my part, I liked the chapter very much !

**Thanks Akari ! Oh and for those who are wondering : Inuyasha is NOT dead, so no need to worry, ok ?**

**Sesshomaru : **You should've killed him to save me the trouble. Oh and by the way I was still horribly OOC.

**Yeah well you think I'm gonna listen to someone who sent me to the intensive care unit a few moments ago !**

**Sesshomaru : **It would be wise if you don't want to go back.

**That's what you think. Don't forget that in MY fic I can make you do anything I want. That could be my revenge.**

**Sesshomaru **: ...

**I see you get my point... Anyway, please review everyone !**

**Akari **: (smiles) And see you in the next chapter !


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